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Dreams Come True: The Greenville Hospital System is Now a University Medical Center, Plans to Add Health Sciences Research and E

Submitted by: John Warner on Aug 31, 2004 at 5:00 am Tagged with: General Archives Source:

Contact: Robyn Zimmerman, Manager of Public Relations
Phone: 864-455-1422
Email: rzimmerman@ghs.org

DREAMS COME TRUE: THE GREENVILLE HOSPITAL SYSTEM IS NOW A UNIVERSITY MEDICAL
CENTER,
PLANS TO ADD HEALTH SCIENCES RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CAMPUS

GREENVILLE, S.C., August 31, 2004 – In a day marked by a series of historic
announcements, leaders of the Greenville Hospital System (GHS), the University
of South Carolina (USC), USC Upstate, the Medical University of South Carolina
(MUSC), Palmetto Health, and Greenville Technical and Community College
gathered at Greenville Memorial Medical Campus to announce that the Greenville
Hospital System has achieved UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER status and plans for a
multi-million dollar Health Sciences Research, Education, and Innovation
Institute on the Greenville Memorial Medical Campus.

GHS President and CEO Frank Pinckney made a series of announcements, each with
the potential to improve health sciences research and education, the economic
environment, and public health in South Carolina. Calling the day ''historic,''
Pinckney said the news was ''like a string of dominoes…each announcement leading
to something quite incredible.''
And incredible it was. GHS's transformation from a large community teaching
hospital to university medical center status is the result of its significant
engagement in carrying out the educational missions of the University of South
Carolina School of Medicine, the health sciences programs of USC UpstatӪe and
Greenville Technical and Community College, and in the future, the health
sciences programs of other state research and education institutions.
''I cannot stress enough the importance of this announcement,'' Pinckney stated.
''As a university medical center,
GHS will be able to expand its research efforts and bring new medical
breakthroughs to our patients.
We will be able to attract national funding to support our research.
We'll be able to expand our teaching programs for residents and medical
fellows.
Our faculty, already top notch, will be recognized as leaders in their fields.
And, we will expand our effort to measure and benchmark patient outcomes to
demonstrate the delivery of quality patient care.''
Recognition as a university medical center also gives GHS the opportunity to
join its partners in the South Carolina Health Sciences Collaborative, a
partnership composed of MUSC, Palmetto Health, and USC, in creating more
opportunities for research; more training of physicians, nurses, and allied
health professionals; and more opportunities for effective treatments for
patients.
A new Health Sciences Research and Education Campus
Pinckney went on to announce that earlier in the day, the GHS Board of Trustees
had unanimously approved the designation of a 22-acre portion of the Greenville
Memorial Medical Campus as a Health Sciences Research and Education Campus. The
campus will include a 100,000-square foot Health Sciences Research, Education,
and Innovation Institute, representing an investment of some $20 million.
As impressive as the state-of-the-art training and medical academics facility
will be, Pinckney said that even more impressive is ''who will be involved, what
will take place there, and the impact it will have academically, medically, and
economically.''
''The institute will bring together GHS; USC Upstate; the USC School of
Medicine; MUSC; Palmetto Health; and longtime partner, Greenville Technical and
Community College. Together we will pursue life-changing research and academic
excellence and continue to serve as an unparalleled economic engine in our
state,'' Pinckney stated.
The Institute and the collaborative relationships behind it are critical
because of the need for qualified physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and medical
technicians in every community and every hospital in South Carolina.
A virtual hospital
Pinckney concluded his remarks with announcement of the Upstate Center for
Advanced Patient Simulation (UCAPS), the first phase in the development of a
virtual hospital that will be located within the Health Sciences Research,
Education, and Innovation Institute. Advanced patient simulation technology—
lifelike
computer-driven mannequins that respond much like real humans—will be the
centerpiece. The technology will be used to provide advanced clinical training
to GHS medical, nursing, and allied health students; students of Greenville
Technical and Community College; students of the school of nursing of the
University of South Carolina Upstate; and students from other health care
providers across the region.
Greenville Technical and Community College is partnering with GHS on the
direction and support of UCAPS. President Tom Barton says both the Institute
and UCAPS ''build on an already vibrant educational relationship among GHS, USC
Upstate, and Greenville Tech'' and signal ''a new day and a new way for medical
academics in the Upstate.''
''Our three institutions share a long history of working as partners to ensure a
reliable source of well-trained, highly qualified nursing and allied health
professionals. Closer collaboration will allow us to take this training to a
new level,'' Barton said.
He added that the proposed virtual hospital ''will revolutionize clinical
training for medical, nursing, and allied health students. It will increase the
number of health sciences students we can train. It will increase the number
of graduates prepared to work in our hospitals. Ultimately, it has the
potential of becoming a nationally-recognized training center for physicians,
other medical professionals, and simulation technicians.''
USC Upstate Chancellor Dr. John Stockwell also applauded the creation of a
''seamless educational experience for students in health sciences education.''
''Our three institutions will offer inter-related programs for nursing and
pharmacy students. USC Upstate and Greenville Technical and Community College
will deliver classroom instruction and support for students in two- and
four-year programs on the GHS campus. GHS will continue to provide experiential
clinical training. Collaboratively we create a high quality, complete health
science education experience,'' Stockwell explained.
Statewide applause
When the four leaders of GHS, MUSC, Palmetto Health, and USC gathered in
Greenville four months ago to announce the formation of the South Carolina
Health Sciences Collaborative and pledged an investment of $80 million toward
advancing health sciences research, education, and public health, they believed
in their vision of a better South Carolina. And today in Greenville, they
applauded the very real steps taken in achieving their dream.
Palmetto Health Chief Executive Officer Kester Freeman called the day's
announcements a ''shot in the arm'' for all South Carolina hospitals struggling
to fill jobs for health care professionals. ''As members of the South Carolina
Health Sciences Collaborative, we have pledged to improve the health status of
all South Carolinians through better research and better education. We have
just taken a very important step in achieving this goal,'' Freeman said.
MUSC President Ray Greenberg called the announcements vitally important not
just to the people gathered in the room, but to all of South Carolina. ''If we
are going to effect positive change in our state and raise the bar on research,
education, and public health for the betterment of South Carolina, we must
encourage and participate in collaborations that leverage our resources. Today'
s announcements are important extensions of what began in April with the South
Carolina Health Sciences Collaborative,'' Greenberg said.
USC Board of Trustee Chairman Mack Whittle cited the significant economic
impact of the new GHS Health Sciences Research, Education, and Innovation
Institute, and commended the Collaborative for having the vision to bring about
positive change in South Carolina.
The event was brought to a close by USC President Andrew Sorensen who
congratulated GHS and shared his dreams of bringing pharmacy education to the
Upstate and housing it at the Health Sciences Research, Education, and
Innovation Institute.
''This will bring a new pharmacy education offering to the Upstate where none
currently exists,'' Sorenson said. ''Not only will it create new educational
opportunities for local students, GHS patients stand to benefit from the
pharmacy faculty, their research, and their participation in patient care.''
Sorenson closed his remarks by saying, ''Today you have witnessed dreams coming
true.''